Exposed to the Sahara desert climate, a new cement plant has been taking shape some 40Km north of Biskra, Algeria. In the hot aird summer with temperatures reaching 49.4ºC and an annual rainfall of less than 100mm, the construction of the Algeria Spa CILAS cement works presented its own challenges, but a flexible approach by …

Continuar leyendo »

In any review of the development and use of refractories in a major process industry it may be useful to consider how and perhaps why the current technology has developed as it has done. Cement is an ancient and very basic commodity, which is today manufactured by modern processes and equipment sometimes by very new …

Continuar leyendo »

  The US Annual Refractories Meeting, was held at the customary venue, adjancent to the St. Louis, Missouri airport, on 30-31 March 2016. The weather was good and there were blossoms on the Spring trees – and there was no snow. The attendance was 208 this year, compared with 203 in 2015 and 210 (record) …

Continuar leyendo »

Refractories World Forum regularly reviews refractories development, production and use under ther banner of «Hot Topics» within which the large scale incineration of industrial wastes certainly has to feature. It is not only an application which involves the use of generally higher temperatures than those found in MSW (municipal solid waste) incineration but is also …

Continuar leyendo »

  Production costs for smelters are highly dependent on the global economic environment, which affects oil prices, and the prices of other commodities, including those that create smelters’ input costs. For instance, during the global economic crisis in 2009, production costs for aluminium smelters decreased between 30 and 40% compared to the record high costs …

Continuar leyendo »